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NORTH CAROLINA SECTION NEWS - AUGUST, 2010

75th ANNIVERSARY FOR ARES - in the September issue of QST you will see articles celebrating the 75th anniversary for Amateur Radio Emergency Services. We in North Carolina have a great ARES team so we salute all the ARES volunteers who have contributed their services during and after disasters over the past three quarters of a century. For those of you going to the Shelby Hamfest, Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) Tom Brown, N4TAB, and Central Branch Asst. Section Emergency Coordinator (ASEC) Steve Misel, K4WEB, will host an ARES forum on Saturday at 12:30 PM to discuss the many positive changes in North Carolina ARES.

NORTH CAROLINA BROADBAND EXPANSION - Gov. Perdue recently announced $255 million will be used to extend broadband services across the state. Some Hams have expressed concerns that this expansion might include Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) systems. Many will remember that utilities in North Carolina experimented with such technologies, some of which did cause interference in Amateur Radio frequencies. This new proposal will consist of both wired and wireless technologies. We will monitor the types of systems which are proposed to be installed, and should we identify any technologies which will adversely impact Amateur Radio, we will work to get such systems changed to ones which do not cause Amateur Radio interference. If you ever have concerns about any state initiatives or would like help in crafting a response to state officials about this or other state issues, feel free to send a draft copy first to our section State Government Liaison (SGL) Bob Conder, K4RLC, at k4rlc@arrl.net. Bob will gladly review your material and make sure your content is factually accurate. STATE ANTENNA LAW - Cleveland County (Shelby, Kings Mountain) is revising its ordinance regulating antennas to come into compliance with the 2007 North Carolina state antenna law. Many municipal zoning officials are still unaware or unfamiliar with this law. A reminder to all that the state antenna law does not bring relief to those living in subdivisions or neighborhoods with deed or covenant restrictions. However, if you live in an area where only city or county ordinances regulate antennas, the state law does apply. You can find a copy of the law at http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/PDF/H1340v4.pdf MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS REUNION - The Veteran Communicators Reunion (VCR) is an informal organization of former military communicators and electronics techs, MARS operators, ham operators, and civil servants, who served in military communications (all services) through the decades. They will have a reunion in Charleston, South Carolina October 7-10. More information at www.veterancommunicators.org HAMFESTS - Shelby (the "Granddaddy") Sept. 4-5, 1303 Dallas-Cherryville Highway, Dallas, NC 28034 Talk-In 146.88 and 147.12 Details at shelbyhamfest.org. Virginia Beach Hamfest (an official Roanoke Div. Hamfest) Sept. 11, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA Talk-In 146.97 More info at vbhamfest.com

PUBLIC SERVICE - Sept. 11-12, MS Mile Bike Ride, New Bern; Sept. 18-19, Ride Without Limits, Camp Kanata, NC; Sept. 25, ADA Step Out Walk for Diabetes, RTP, NC. For all previous events go to www.hampublicservice.org ; Sept.25-26, MS Breakaway to the Beach Ride, NC & SC. Details at http://ms150maps.com ATTN: Public Service leaders: after a public service event please submit an ARRL Public Service Activity Report at http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Public%20Service/fsd157.pdf

JULY NTS REPORTS - QNI (Net station check-ins) 2,519. Messages passed -389. STATION ACTIVITY REPORTS (SARs) K4IWW 428, W2EAG 247, W4DNA 103, W4TTO 55, W3HL 40, KE4AHC 33, KC4PGN 21, NC4VA 20, WK4P 18. JULY PUBLIC SERVICE HONOR ROLL (PSHR) NC4VA 256, K4IWW 130, W4DNA 130, W2EAG 125, W4TTO 100, KD4KFR 79.

ARES - Members - 672, ICS credentialed 170, DEC/EC reports: 36 out of 100 counties. ATTN ECs and DECs - if you're not filing your monthly reports, your ARES members aren't included in section reports.

LAST WORD - In a 1943 movie called "Falling Hare", Bugs Bunny coined the phrase, "What's all the hubbub, Bub?" I've been hearing similar questions being asked of me at hamfests and in emails concerning North Carolina ARES. Some Hams have questioned if all I'm doing is concentrating on ARES. Nothing could be further from the truth, but a lot of exciting things have been happening in ARES in the four months since I've been Section Manager. First, at the state ARES meeting in Raleigh in April, we adopted the policy that all ARES volunteers who serve as county Emergency Coordinators (ECs) or higher, or who want to volunteer for government deployments or disaster deployments, must have completed ICS courses 100, 200,700 and 800b. I am pleased that almost half of North Carolina's 100 counties now have ECs with all four ICS courses completed, and we expect 75% compliance by the end of the year. Secondly, ARES is celebrating its 75th year of existence. Not many disaster response organizations can claim such longevity, and we plan to recognize ARES's Diamond Anniversary through the end of the year. Does this mean I'm playing favorites with ARES? Hardly. It's true that about half of all ARRL North Carolina Section field management appointments are ARES volunteers, and ARES has been the organization receiving virtually all government grants and funding. So when there is news to share, I want to share it, even if much of the news comes from one organization. My belief is, however, that Hams become better operators when they get on the air and practice, whether that's through NTS, DXing, contesting, experimentation, net participation, ragchewing or, yes, ARES. As time goes on you'll see this column cover many aspects of Amateur Radio other than ARES, but for now, Happy 75th Birthday to ARES, and thanks for three quarters of a century of dedicated service.

73 de Bill Morine, N2COP North Carolina Section Manager

For the latest news about Amateur Radio in North Carolina, go the the section's website at www.ncarrl.org. Follow Section Manager Bill Morine on Facebook under his name and under NC ARRL